EBS STAFF
Nine ski patrollers across the West received scholarships in 2024 for advanced avalanche education and training. The grants totaled $20,400, provided by the Darren Johnson Avalanche Education Memorial Fund.
Johnson was a Yellowstone Club ski patroller who died in a 2016 avalanche while on duty helping Montana State University students collect snowpack data. He spent six years on YC ski patrol and was a member of the National Ski Patrol. His friends and family established the memorial fund with support from the Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, with the goal of increasing access to life-saving training that can be cost-prohibitive to smaller ski areas, especially those with patrol crews that rely on volunteers.
“Darren was not only a great colleague, but he was an even better friend,” Lance Stratton, a founding member of the fund and YC ski patroller, stated in a Dec. 26 YCCF press release. “His legacy lives on through these scholarships. Our annual memorial events in January have brought light to a dark time for those who worked the day we lost Darren to the mountains.”
The funds are primarily raised in Big Sky, with two annual events held each January. The annual Beehive Pint Night at Beehive Basin Brewery will be held on Jan. 16, and a film screening and silent auction at The Waypoint on Jan. 20. More information will be posted on the fund’s Instagram page, and donations can also be made online.
Recipients of the 2024 awards are from Lost Trail Ski Area in Montana, Sun Valley in Idaho, Stevens Pass in Washington, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, Red River Ski Area in New Mexico, and Red Mountain Resort in British Columbia, Canada. All were chosen through a competitive selection process, according to the release.
Patrollers interested in the 2025 program can apply online until Oct. 8, 2025.
“Working at a small, family-owned ski area like Lost Trail is an incredible opportunity to connect and work closely with the local community,” stated Morgan Throckmorton, a Lost Trail ski patroller who received a 2024 scholarship. “This scholarship is helping support our mountain by providing the resources for me and others to strengthen our avalanche program and education through professional courses approved by the American Avalanche Association. This support ensures our team has the training necessary to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone and aligns with industry best practices.”
